Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 February 2012
40 Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will review the manner in which the restoration improvement and other road grants to local authorities are allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8627/12]
View answerThe restoration improvement grant is one of a range of grants made to local authorities from Exchequer funds to assist them in the maintenance and improvement of approximately 91,000 kms of non-national roads across the country.
These grants are intended to supplement authorities' own funds. The allocation of funds from my Department, and previously from the Department of the Environment, has evolved over time to reflect changes in programmes and in the availability of funding. In recent times programmes have been changed or amalgamated to provide flexibility to the local authorities to meet their individual needs and to react to recent issues such as damage to roads and bridges caused by flooding and snow. All of the works on regional and local roads which are funded by my Department are in the first instance prioritised by individual local authorities.
In the next few months, I am due to receive the Pavement Conditions Study. This report will provide a comprehensive overview of the current status of our regional roads network.
Once I have received and considered this report, I will use it — in conjunction with other work my Department is carrying out — as the basis on which to carry out a full review of the current system of allocating the restoration improvement grant. This review will be to ensure that the allocation to individual county councils is equitable in terms of the length of road within each county and the usage of such roads. It will also acknowledge those local authorities which make best use of their allocation and supplement them adequately with their own.
